Using my computer I’ve established that it is, in fact, Monday (Mudspike, first with the exclusive news!). Given that, probably a good time for some user feedback/info and polls I thought would help us improve things (or make them worse for 49% of you, such is democracy). Ok here goes:
#New User Catch-Up
We’ve had a few new sign-ups of new users, and nobody reads the FAQs etc, so here’s the short versions:
The @ sign before a username ‘pings’ that person, so that if they aren’t online it’ll send an email. Useful for annoying people or getting them to come here eh @BeachAV8R!.
The ‘Like’ button is a bit facebooky emo but a nice way to say ‘I have read this and like it.’. It doesn’t mean much more than that and people like receiving them.
If you put a URL link on its own line then it’ll expand out to something called a ‘Onebox’, so for stuff like images, youtube.com or steam etc it’ll show a preview summary of what’s on the page. It’s nice to do as people don’t have to leave and then come back.
User ‘levels’ are a trust system where the people that do the most here (read topics, like stuff, post things people like) are given more power automatically. That power is fairly lame, but it includes being able to mark spam posts, give new users a ‘like multiplier’ and rename or recategorize topics. It’s sort of a robot moderator allocation, where the people that put the most time in get the most say. As we never really wanted to run a proper forum it makes things bearable in terms of ‘janitor time’ needed.
The ‘bullhorn’ icon on your top right goes to a free-form chat channel. In the chat you can do ‘bot’ commands like get the weather or run an aircraft photo quiz.
Click your avatar on the top right and look through the ‘cog’ preferences, as most things can be customized e.g. open new links in a new tab etc.
#Obvious Forum Growth Questions
Some quick polls to see what people are thinking (you can build polls, on a ‘new topic’ editor window, hit the ‘cog’ in the toolbar (next to the smiley face emoticon picker). You can pick the third option if you don’t mind/care either way, which is a valid response in its own right:
#Is it time for a VR Category?
Yes
No
Who said that, I have my headset on so no longer respond to corporeal presences other than just to tell people that I use VR?
0voters
#Is it time for a Land Combat Category?
Yes
No
Who said that, my Range Instructor just fired something 2’ from my ear and I am having trouble focusing?
0voters
#Do we want to split up Flight Sim into more sub categories yet?
Yes
No
Who said that, you mentioned XYZ Sim in-front of me, you’ve made an enemy for life!?
0voters
Last one I promise (you can take a 10 min break after this). We recently introduced user preference picked ‘Themes’ (basically skins for the forum). More info for that here. As we think about a larger site/graphics Mudspike overhaul, I’m curious to see which ones people liked and thought would like to see more of.
Btw, if people feel strongly about other changes, then now is a good time and place to bring them up. If you feel physically ill by the category name #LandCombat then open to other suggestions and ideas.
My take on it is a sort of Venn diagram approach, so whatever isn’t covered by #flight-sims, #hangar-flying (our 'Common Room general chat), #gaming (our catch all) or #space-sims etc. So basically, tanks and other stuff that’s not high up. I would probably put stuff like ARMA, Insurgency, maybe even RTS like Steel Division etc. in there.
We could easily add a less extremely dark one. Here’s the sort of color palette we have to play with, so maybe something without the bright white as at least an optional theme?
Ok, we gave this a month or so, so probably time to look at the poll results.
My thoughts are along the lines of:
I’m not that keen on a VR category anymore. It’s a peripheral and we can either cover VR games in #gaming or new hardware in, um, #hardware. We have a good VR News topic going for that.
A ‘Land Combat’ sub-forum/category is ok with me. @Linebacker, @Andrew116, @adlabs6, @saghen@Rhinosaurus and others seems to have a good time on a regular basis, so topics regarding ARMA, RO2, Insurgency etc could all be in there. Does anyone want to step up to add content here on that, as in the occasional new ‘gaming news’ that relates to those sorts of games in that category? Ping @staff if interested.
The theme stuff all looks ok as is, and the flight-sim subcategories was seen as a terrible idea I think, so no changes there.
@staff I actually voted against a ‘Land Combat’ sub-forum.
IMO, Combat/Flight simming is where Mudspike shines.
I’m personally just struggling to get back into civilian flight simming with X-Plane 11! I want it but there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day for me to get there plus all of the “quick thrill” land combat distractions that exist (I love shooting guns) …
@staff lol I voted no for land too. I mean I thoroughly enjoy our gaming but it isn’t simming at all. I don’t think it needs a section… The few threads are good enough.
I mean its not like we have to be exclusive to Sims per say. Something like Red Orchestra or Insurgency with a good realism vs gameplay balance could be a good benchmark. I wouldn’t consider something like Prey or Titianfall something that would need coverage.
